Second Chances
by NerdSavvy
Summary: So, remember that guy? You know who I mean, the one at fault for all this. Well, he's been thrown back into her life, and now the question is whether Sunako will keep her head in the past, or look toward the future. CC/S/K. N/T.
1. Prologue

Dedication: This is dedicated to xSTICKYxNOTEx because I love her and she's an amazing member of ff.n!

Disclaimer: I do not own this manga or the main characters used in it. This was written for fun, I hope you enjoy it! Sadly, I own Demon Spawn and Koichi.

.o0¡¡0o Start/End .o0!0o. New Scene _"Thoughts"_ **Background Noise/Speech **_Sound Effects_

Title: Second Chances

Chapter: Prologue

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The middle school courtyard's many sakura trees shaded the scattered students on this warm Spring day. The sun's rays danced off of the surfaces of the well placed ponds and streams. Many of the girls sighed contently as the light breeze blew through their hair. The boys had smiles reaching their ears as they scarfed down their favorite springtime snacks. Underneath a sakura tree, near the end of the courtyard, sat two very peaceful looking people.

Sunako sat calmly on the bench next to Koichi. The two ninth graders blushed lightly as they discussed what to do about their lab project. Over time the two had grown very close, and it was a perfect fit. Though neither of them knew it, they were probably the most beautiful people in their school. It wasn't just their looks; they also had immense charm and allure. The best part was, they didn't know that they had liked each other since they started Jr High. That they were loved by everyone so sweetly. That these partialities grew every day...

To their classmates, this was adorable. Sunako and Koichi were the underground favorite couple of school. But just like any other story, there's always one person who ruins it for everyone. In this story, the bitch is named Hikari, also known as demon spawn.

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Demon spawn watched the two sneakily from behind the bushes.

She watched Sunako's short black hair swish off to one side as she turned to listen to Koichi. He blushed as she watched him intently. Her amethyst eyes kept still and friendly as he reddened and covered his face with auburn bangs.

"Right, so... I think that making a small cartoon would make a good project.. Um... We could start drawing out the process of meiosis and have a little - I dunno - sperm pop up and explain it to the viewers," They looked at each other and started laughing.

"That's funny! Yeah, we should do that," Koichi watched the gorgeous girl laugh, and then something happened that made demon spawn seethe with fury.

A leaf had tangled into Sunako's silky hair, burrowing it's green needle into her locks as the wind blew lightly in encouragement. Cheeks glowing with intensity, Koichi made her aware of it. Then, slowly and smoothly, he tried to pull it out. Demon spawn boiled as Koichi took a brave little second to rest his fingertips on her cheek, making the stunning scene even more blinding for the S/K fans watching them in the courtyard. Their eyes met in a stunning display of shoujo love and quickly, they looked away in embarrassment. Their audience "awed" in approval.

o0(_Later that day_)0o

Sunako and her friend Haruhi walked past the windows of Koichi and Hikari's homeroom. The two girls were talking animatedly about the new horror store that had opened on their block as Koichi and Sunako's eyes met.

"Koichi-kun!" Sunako greeted him with a wave.

The eager boy blushed and waved, thrilled, "Hey Sunako-chan!"

Their patrons smiled at their friendly greetings, but Spawn flamed.

Sunako's mouth formed a small "o," a bit stunned at how happy he seemed. Soon enough her expression formed honest joy as she coloured and continued to walk to her classroom with Haruhi.

As soon as she was out of sight, Demon pulled Koichi into an A-B conversation.

"God, that Nakahara gets on my nerves," Demon Spawn mumbled, crossing her arms.

Koichi chuckled lightly, "Hikari-san, what are you talking about? Sunako-chan is the sweetest girl on earth."

Demon Spawn huffed, "She thinks she's so elite just 'cause she's rich and pretty..."

Koichi smiled a tiny smile and looked down, "She's more than just that..."

The Demon girl's lip twitched, "We all know you're in love with her, but the question is, what does she feel?"

Koichi looked up abruptly, growing pallid, "Did... Did she say anything... About..." The poor guy was so nervous, the lump in his throat had swelled into a watermelon. The Devil-Girl smiled wickedly, _'Gotcha!'_

"Well, I'll tell you this because I know you're a good guy, and I don't want to see you hurt," Then Spawn leaned in and told Koichi horrible, twisted lies that contorted his view of an angel into a decrepit and shrivelled corpse.

All day long, she continued to implant these images into his head. She had even used her evil to make very good photoshops of Sunako doing very bad things; she had torched a kitten, she resorted to prostitution to fill her need for sex, then she used the money to buy crack for the fourth graders in a neighboring school... Who the hell would believe these pictures? Who in hell could waste so much time coming up with such ridiculous lies?!

Demon Spawn, at her own service...

Koichi's brow furrowed angrily as he looked at the picture of "Sunako" walking into a love hotel with some blue-collar with a comb-over. Then he snapped, "Hikari-san, I don't know what you're trying to pull, but I won't believe this! I don't know what kind of person could go through all this trouble to sabotage a person's image, but I know I can't stand this anymore!" He stood quickly, throwing the pictures into the trash.

"Koichi! Wait!" She called desperately.

He stopped at the door, "I won't tell anyone what you've done, as long as you promise to leave Sunako alone..."

The door closed. Hikari's face twisted into a gnarled knob on an oak, as evil completely overcame her.

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Koichi thought of all the ways that Sunako couldn't possibly be that girl...

_'Nope, there's definitely no way...' _

He thought about how cool and intriguing she was the first time he met her. He thought of how charming her little quirks were, how she liked to read mystery and justice novels. He thought of her obsession with The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the cute smile that reached her eyes when "This is Halloween" played on the mixed tape he had made for her.

He knew Sunako better than that, knew that she couldn't possibly be like that...

But something bothered him... He knew she kept things from him, that even though he told her everything about himself excluding his deep thought of her. She neglected sharing her history and her family. He talked about everything, she kept in the present and the present only.

The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him.

He thought about how she made sure to be absolutely polite to everyone, even bitches like Hikari who loved to be flat out rude to her. He should have known better than to let her get to him. The look in her beautiful eyes... They were beautiful by nature, and he wondered how wonderful they could be if she showed all of herself to him.

Koichi huffed at his own inner monologue.

Suddenly her awkward smile didn't seem as appealing as it was when they had first met...

He shrugged his bag higher on his broad shoulder, keeping his hand tight around the strap. He thought more and more until he came to a valid conclusion. The only reason he was bothered by Hikari was because Sunako didn't trust him enough to tell him about _her_. The real her. When he thought about it, she never did cry or break around him, or anyone for that matter. The epitome of tenacity... No, nobody was that perfect.

The neighborhood's stray cat -Akio- crossed the street to avoid him as he slammed the side of his fist against the wall.

"Why can't she open up...?'

Akio turned the corner to find a crazed girl with menace in her eyes. He assumed she was an evil girl who had come up with a very sadistic plan... He'd better get out of her way.

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So what do you think???

Anyway, review please, and I'll post as soon as possible.

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


	2. Visitor

Disclaimer: I do not own this manga or the main characters used in it. This was written for fun, I hope you enjoy it! Sadly, I own Demon Spawn and Koichi.

Title: Second Chances

Chapter: 2: Visitor

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Kyohei yawned, scratching his stomach he readied himself for a little something he looked forward to every morning.

He opened the door. Sunako stood with her back to him, dressed in cotton sweats, a plain white tee and a high ponytail. A smirk appeared on the young man's face as he leaned against the door, crossing his arms.

"What's for breakfast today, Sunako?" As would be expected, he couldn't bring himself to add "chan" or anything, but he did like saying her name. He liked that it was okay, now that they were friends.

Sunako turned her head in acknowledgement, then turned her eyes back onto her task, "I'm slicing up some peppers and onions. We're going to have an american breakfast today."

Kyohei grunted and stood beside her. Sunako leaned over and opened the fridge. She balanced seven eggs in one hand, then plopped them softly on the counter next to a mixing bowl and a whisk.

"Scramble these, okay?" She peered through her hair kindly and glided back over to the cutting board with a garlic clove and a small block of swiss cheese.

"What are you going to make?" Kyohei asked, cracking his last egg.

"_We_ are making an omelette," this made Kyohei smile lightly. He didn't know what it was, but doing such a domestic task with a friend every morning seemed to make his day a helluva lot better, "And _you_ are going to flip it."

Sunako smiled, challenge in her eyes as she tossed the chopped vegetables into the saucepan, "What's that look? You think I _can't?_"

They laughed and joked around a bit as the rest of the roommates started. He realized she did so much more than anyone he ever knew. He only woke up and helped make an omelette. She'd already made the bacon and sausages, and she had prepared pancake mix the night before, letting it chill in the fridge.

Just as the entire family woke up, Kyohei had successfully flipped the omelette and it was time to flip pancakes. Everyone cheered around the stove animatedly as Sunako and Kyohei competed for "who could flip them the best." Kyohei lost, mistaking it for "who could flip them the highest," resulting in one sticky side of a pancake stuck onto the ceiling.

They all ate comfortably. In fact, it seemed that the past couple of months were nothing but comfortable.

Enough time had passed since the teens had last seen auntie dearest for them to start to worry.

How much time? It was enough for Sunako's hair to grow down to the bottom of her eyes -without anyone having any real reason to cut them. (Although I do believe they wanted to...)

They'd all been living together long enough for something to change. It seemed that with those bangs shielding her face, she was more confident. Now you could catch her talking with Takenaga about Current Events, sitting with Ranmaru and enjoying a different brew of tea every week, playing board games with Yuki, and even shopping with Noi in Harajuku. She also came around to teaching Kyohei to cook. At first, they fought often, and it usually ended with Kyohei burned or bruised somewhere. But now they learned to harmonize. Sunako was in charge, and he was fine with that.

I'm sure this all seems like a sad story thought up by a desperate fan, but it's not. It's the truth. The reason things had started to change was because Sunako had realized, "These are my friends. I like them. Even though they were beautiful creatures of the light," when she learned more about them, their insides dulled their brightness and let her see the real them... Maybe that's too weird... She'd probably just say they'd grown on her.

But the point is that these five people had finally become a family. They were all living a life they had always thought was impossible. Months had passed without a single disturbance.

Kyohei was even considering Sunako as more than a friend. He had already known she was definitely different, but to actually acknowledge this into his conscious mind?

He absolutely saw her in a different light than other girls. She was definitely special...

He knew he cared about her. He knew she was valuable to him...

But any more than that and his brain caved into the urge to turn to mush.

This made Kyohei antsy. This anxiety -evident at certain points of quiet-time among the housemates- put the house into a subconscious level of unease.

So the day when the doorbell rang -without anyone inkling at planning company- you can bet that every single person in the house was on their toes.

The boys sprang to life at the familiar "_ding-dong_"-ing of the bell, and the door was thrust open, Kyohei and Ranmaru falling over in the process. Noi and Sunako simply rolled their eyes, walking calmly to stand behind Takenaga and Yuki.

"Who're you?"

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Ahaha... Guess who?

Yeah... This chapter was kind of "a slice of life."

Don't worry, Sunako is obviously still herself, she just has finally let her guard down around them. She trusts them enough not to act like she doesn't care about anything. Though there is still a guard up there around Kyohei... Hehehe.

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


	3. Nowhere ≠ Now Here

A/N: About that kissing- that happened in like... Volume 15 I think... Kyohei fell on Ranmaru, and yeah... Hehe.

Disclaimer: Own I do not. Want not for Spawn Demon.

Title: Second Chances

Chapter: 3: Nowhere. Now Here.

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Kyohei and Ranmaru struggled on the porch, their legs slightly tangled. Ranmaru was crying, trying his hardest to get away from the other.

"You idiot!" Kyohei bellowed loudly, "Why the hell are you crying?!"

The redhead choked earnestly, "I was just- so scared. I thought when we fell you might end up kissing me again!"

"You idiot!" Now Kyohei sprang from the boy and then attacked him, the person by the doorbell completely forgotten.

Sunako and Noi sighed, breaking up the two boys as their visitor stood, shocked, at the entrance.

"I'm sorry, these guy's are a bit... Eccentric," Takenaga smooth-talked his way into the guest's good side, "I'm Takenaga O-"

"Oh my God! Nakahara-san?! Nakahara-san, is that you?!" Their visitor's exclamation brought everyone's attention to the owner of such a booming voice. Yuki and Oda's eyes grew wide with the force of such a monstrous yell.

Sunako froze. Shock stopped her from reacting correctly.

Her hands clutched into Kyohei's arm, "Hi... Hikari..."

The two girls stared at each other for some time, silence passing all around.

How could she not have recognized her? How could she forget the girl who tried to embarrass her in every single class since freshman year of middle school?

Hikari had cut her hair into a pixie cut. Her long auburn locks were gone. But that face. Those wicked, colorless eyes...

This was the girl who had seen it all. She had laughed. Sunako remembered it vividly; through the blur of her tears, she saw that demon girl laughing triumphantly not far from where he stood.

She was there.

Just like that time, Sunako didn't even have to think about it. She was already running. Just a second more and she'd be safe inside her haven. Safe in her darkness.

She hadn't noticed that Kyohei was just behind the door. Instinctively, he'd followed her, but at the last second he'd known it would be better to hear what happened from that loud girl. Maybe easier to hear it from her.

But just because it was easier didn't mean he would go easy on her.

The guys moved their guest into the living room, and Noi went to comfort Sunako.

Takenaga was the medium. He was the only one who could keep up a façade strong enough to dissemble his big-brother disposition. Yuki pouted stubbornly, waiting for the girl to prove her innocence. Ranmaru ignored her completely. Kyohei glared so fiercely, she saw past that angel face of his and saw the devil within. It was completely petrifying.

"I- I'm sorry..." The girl kept her head down, shaking with trepidation, "But if you could just hear me out..."

Somehow, the sincerity in her voice softened the animosity in the room. Ranmaru decided to shift his approach into the role Takenaga left open. He took charge as the protective Big Brother, but still tried to be open to understanding. Yuki was moved completely, and was now hoping there was some sort of mix up between the two.

There was a long silence before Ranmaru sighed, "Okay," he smiled tentatively, "We'll listen to what it is you have to say. But first, tell us who you are, and how you know Sunako-chan."

"My name is Ogawa Hikari... I was in middle school with Nakahara-san, and Seiki High before she left."

"Okay..." Takenaga nodded, thinking about what he would want to ask next. They had to be calculative. They needed to ask the right questions in the right order... He looked at Ranmaru.

"Do you know why Sunako-chan ran from you?" Kyohei tensed at the redhead's words. He hoped it wasn't about that jerk-off...

"W-well, we weren't exactly close. Actually, we were enemies. It wasn't that she ever did anything back to me. I just hated her, and she knew it-"

"That doesn't explain why she'd run." Kyohei's gaze was hard and challenging.

"I- I..." The girl stuttered clumsily, trying to find the right words. The boys caught on quickly to the fact that she was holding something back.

"We know Sunako-chan! If you had come here to apologize for that, she would have stayed! If it was just bullying, she would stand her ground!" Yuki insisted defensively, sounding a lot like a small child defending his older sister.

Hikari sat silently, staring at the brunette with a trembling stare, then she looked down. It was quiet.

"I'm sorry, it's not that we're going to do anything bad to you. We're just worried about Sunako-chan. So you can relax, we're not judging you," Takenaga forced the words, but they flowed gracefully from his lips. Both he and Kyohei wanted to add that neither did they care about the skirt before them.

But Hikari already knew it. She wasn't a Demon for nothing. She felt like just sighing and acting like her normal self already. But she wouldn't. She'd hold back to gain Nakahara's sympathy, "I came because of Koichi..." Then she stood politely, "Please tell her that."

The guys were all silent. They watched the girl walk out of the room, and moments later, heard her closing the front door behind her.

Each face held a frown and upset eyes. Kyohei was boiling inside, his brain was flying in every direction and he couldn't contain. He didn't even know why it was happening. There was worry, and images of her with some strange guy, and anger, and fear. Fear was prominent. He couldn't understand why.

Everyone was too distracted by their thoughts to hold up a conversation, so when Noi reentered the common area, it was no surprise she mistook it for a wake.

Takenaga looked up as her hand took a place on his shoulder, "She wouldn't tell me anything. I don't know what to do..."

They knew right away that Noi was close to tears, and at the same time, the answer clicked in all four of their heads.

Koichi. Koichi had to be that guy. The guy.

Oh, this was bad. This was very, very bad.

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He stood outside of her door for the second time that day. Again, contemplating on whether or not he should go in.

This time greed won and he entered.

He closed the door quickly behind him, but kept his hands against the wood as he let his eyes adjust.

The TV wasn't on, and she hadn't lit a single candle. The darkness was much thicker than usual. The prodigious atmosphere chilled him with foreboding as he scanned the room. He didn't see her, but at least now he could see.

He walked to the center of the room, looked passed the dolls on one side, the shelf of her unique collection, the black curtain covering the enormous window, the TV, the armoire, her bed.

He knew the layout by heart now. But he'd never expected his friend to be hiding where she was.

The armoire was a new edition to her furniture. It was a big, gothic-style, closet-type thing that was placed against the wall left of her bed. She'd said it was for her new collection of the Nightmare Before Christmas dolls coming this Halloween. She wanted them in there because she'd said, although she loved them, they didn't exactly "fit in" with her surrounding decor. He remembered laughing when she said that. Fit in, like she'd meant for her room to intimidate people and force men like her father into heart-attacks. "_Only Sunako_," he'd thought kindly to himself as they watched Edward Scissorhands for the fourth time that month.

But now was not the time to be thinking about his Kodac moments. Now was the time to approach the slightly ajar armoire door and help his friend.

He heard nothing but her breathing as he approached. At least she wasn't crying. That was good.

But her breathing was heavy. It sounded like she was struggling for air.

He carefully creaked open the door, knowing fully that moving too quick would alert the dark girl's animalistic reflexes. He watched carefully, his topaz eyes swirling with concern.

Sunako was leaning into herself. Her knees were brought up to her chest. Her hands gripped her ankles fiercely, pulling them into herself. Her head was down against her thighs, her forehead pressed to her knees. Her breathing was raspy, empty like she was freezing, like that time they were trapped in the basement.

A helpless feeling washed over him, and the sight made him inert.

Without thinking, he crawled into the armoire, filling the empty space to her right. He closed the door behind him so that his face wouldn't bother her so much.

Her body was pressed against the wood where the wall would be, so that if she looked up, she would see Kyohei's marvelous profile.

But she didn't look up. Kyohei kept his eyes on her as he moved his legs into a more comfortable position. He propped his left leg up so the his knee was leve with his shoulder and bent the other so that his shin rest under the arc of his leg.

He watched her. Soon enough her hand was gripping the hem of his shirt and he gripping her waist to move her beside him. She slid easily from her previous spot and Kyohei pulled her up against his side.

He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to ask what had happened, but he didn't.

He knew now was not the time, and talking would only shorten it. Right now what he wanted most was to be with Sunako and hope that she was okay with that. His right arm positioned itself around her lower back, trying to hold as much of her as possible, trying to stop the chill that made her breathe so hard. His other hand loosened her grip on his shirt, and held it in his own, resting it on his leg.

Slowly, her breathing started to slow, her death grip softened, and her head lolled to rest upon his chest.

Kyohei thought she was finally asleep. He was glad. Even though he would come out with no new information, it was a comfort to him to know he had been there for her...

He thought to get up and move her to the bed, but when he moved, her hand tightened in his. A ghost of a smile crossing his features.

He settled back down, using his right hand to run his fingers through her hair.

He did not know that Sunako was awake. Most of her being had fallen into unconsciousness, but enough of her was awake to think. Torn in two directions of utter chaos, they had now settled firmly on one thing.

Kyohei.

There really was no one like him.

Not for her. Not ever.

Hours passed. She had never known of a man who could just _hold _someone. A person who would just hold her, and nothing more. For _hours_.

No questions asked, no promises made for _after_.

During the night, Kyohei's foot would push open the door, and Sunako's legs would sprawl out in the space provided. Her head would fall into his lap, and his back would drag against the mahogany walls. His mind would conjure up sweet dreams of he and his friend doing things his conscious mind knew were utterly impossible.

_"This is a dream,"_ she thought to herself. In the morning, Kyohei will go on about what an idiot she was, and she'd have to face everyone and apologize. He would not be there in the morning, not like this.

In the morning he would be nowhere.

His hand tightened around hers unconsciously.

But for the moment, he was now here.

_Kyohei._

And then she slept.

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Ah! So what say you?

Did you like it? Not exactly what you were expecting, eh?

Me neither.

It didn't focus on Hikari and Sunako's past at all! I know!

But I couldn't help myself.

You can thank two events for this update.

The first is the nice update from xSTICKYxNOTEx for her new Vampire/Werewolf story, and for sending me great reviews.

And the other is just what put me in the most amazing mood of my life. Now this, this almost gave me a heart attack. On Wednesday night, I was on the phone with two friends of mine. During my little serenade of _Admit It_, one of my friends informs me that my favorite band will be playing in NY next month. Next month, October 30! The day before Halloween! Ohhohoho. So the next day at noon, I ordered tickets. And now, I am daydreaming about seeing **Say Anything** live in concert in the Hammerstein Ballroom. (Along with like- 2500 other people and HelloGoodbye and the Polysonics) Ah God! I could die, truly I could! But I won't! Not until after the concert.

I'm sorry for taking long to update, there's actually this other story that I can't wait to post! But not until this one is finished! Ahhhhh(_Say Anything_!)hhhhhh!!! Okay! Review and tell me what you think! And if you're a fan of SA, too, tell me so I can gloat some more!

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


	4. Quite the Challenge

A/N: I'd like to thank WindyLeafor her review. I took it as a challenge! Let's see if I can meet all of your expectations!

Disclaimer: Own I do not. Want not for Spawn Demon.

Title: Second Chances

Chapter: 4: Quite the Challenge

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There was no way for any light to get into that room. Not today.

The sun was counting his blessings the past few months, because lately, Sunako Nakahara had been opening her window during the day. If not the window for it's pungent smell drifting in from the garden, then at least she'd open the curtains every so often.

But now the sun sensed that it would not happen anymore. Something told him that, after overhearing that the moon wasn't allowed to visit either. Even if Sunako fell asleep before the moon was high, Kyohei Takano would come to say hello. But not tonight.

Something must truly be wrong with the ever-popular girl amongst the skies.

How would they find out what was wrong with their dear Sunako?

There was no one to enlighten them.

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Kyohei had woken up an hour ago.

He'd woken up with stiff shoulders and a serious crick in his neck.

But he wasn't upset.

Most people would call him stupid for falling asleep in- well, basically- a closet. But when they factor in that _Sunako_ was sleeping in there _with_ him, haha. Not so stupid now, was he? He didn't think so, either.

Sunako snuggled into him, her right arm was draped across his torso, pulling him ever tighter to herself.

She let out a small sigh of contentment, rubbing her nose on his chest.

Kyohei smiled.

Though his neck was basically bent into a ninety-degree angle, he was completely smug... Well, it could have been that the angle had caused severe trauma to his brain, because he seemed a little loopy.

His right hand trailed through her hair, down her spine, across her waist...

He was in somewhat of a trance, this boy.

He might have been this happy because _she_ was now happy. Or at least, she seemed to be.

Though last night's dreams started out well, somewhere through the night they had spun for the worse.

It was one of his fears, to see Sunako crying. When she'd lost Hiroshi, there were these series of pitfalls happening throughout his head and stomach as he saw the tears roll down her cheeks. Another series had erupted when he'd hugged her.

In his dream, she was crying again.

She was in that same room, but all alone.

He wasn't there. He couldn't get to her.

He knew she was crying over that guy again. He couldn't explain why, but he knew the reason was because of a guy. A guy that she loved.

It was like the feeling was seeping out of her and into him as he watched, helpless.

It sent anger in waves, rippling over him. He'd sometimes imagine, against his will, how badly she'd cried when that guy rejected her. He'd always seen her alone. It made him even angrier. And now, his acrimony grew into madness because he'd always tell himself -when he imagined Sunako crying alone back then- that she never would again, because she had him now. He was here for her. So why was she crying alone now? How could he let that happen?

He looked to see something moving in the shadows.

Short brown hair. A pixie cut. Pale eyes...

They turned menacing as they turned to glare at him, and then they seemed to burn with riotous laughter.

It chilled him.

In his sleep, he'd held Sunako tighter to himself.

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Sunako was surprised when she finally woke up.

She was not in her bed, as she expected.

She'd expected Kyohei to have moved her into her bed, trying to erase what he'd done last night.

Instead, she's woken up in the armoire, spread out inside it.

Even more surprising- Kyohei was her pillow.

She'd fluttered her eyes free slowly, her sight downcast so she could view her legs upon their opening.

She'd moved her arm to scratch her head with an, "Mmm," to clear the sleep from her throat.

But the "mmm" was cut short, just before it reached it's zenith.

There was a hand where her hair should be. A slender, smooth hand had curled itself into her hair.

Her first bought of splendor told her it was a ghost. Like in the grudge, a ghost had finally manifested itself for her.

But smooth. This hand was smooth, not slimy.

Cognizance dawned on her. Slowly.

This hand did not belong to a ghost.

Her eyes moved with dread toward the face to this hand.

Sure, she hadn't wanted him to leave her during the night, but for him to actually _stay_? This was total lunacy! She wasn't ready for this. She could no way face him in any normal manner. It wasn't right.

Not for her. Never for her.

Her eyes met his, and widened.

He was sporting that smug little smirk of his. That glorious smirk as his voice sang a low, "Good morning."

_Good morning_. Like this was a good thing.

Did the boy have dementia?

Sunako responded the only way her body knew how.

Her nose erupted.

It seemed that it hadn't in so long, that the blood came out tenfold, ruining her new addition to the room.

Then she fainted.

Kyohei wouldn't move for several seconds.

He didn't know what to expect. He _should_ have expected a nosebleed.

But he hadn't.

He didn't know what to expect! But now it seemed like they were moving backwards.

Stupid. Stupid Kyohei.

How could he expect her to accept with open arms, that they had slept _together_?

Did he realize that it was _Sunako_?

God, maybe he really did suffer from mental deterioration.

After his moment of self-hatred, he got up and moved Sunako to her bed. The only good thing was that he'd taken such a long time to dwell on his idiocy that the blood dried on him, and there was not an ounce on her to smirch her clean sheets.

Kyohei closed her door with a soft click and a long sigh.

He trudged up the stairs bitterly. He'd made it about three-quarters of the way before two sets of giggles could be heard.

Noi was atop the steps, one hand in Takenaga's, the other used to cover her wicked smile as she twittered.

Behind him, Ranmaru was at the foot of the gradation, aloof laughter echoing from his lips. Yuki did not laugh. His face held a mixture of worry and awe. He seemed to pick up on the blonde's sour expression. He was also the only one who had, because even Takenaga had an assuming grin on his face.

Oh God, he had hoped for peace. To simply go up to the bathroom and take a nice, long sulk in the tub.

But no. His evil housemates wouldn't allow him the luxury.

"So... Have fun with Nako-chan last night?" Ranmaru couldn't help but beam, the words leaving him in a beautiful melody.

"We were worried when you didn't come back," Yuki intoned.

"Yes, we even went in to check on you two," Takenaga crooned happily, like a Big Brother giving his sister away to someone he'd deemed "worthy."

Kyohei boiled. Oh, now he was pissed. His voice travelled from his gut, through his chest, his lungs, up his throat...

"Man, so _kinky_... 'Can't believe you two could do it in a _closet_," Ranmaru purred suggestively. Kyohei went stock still. His face went red underneath the blood.

"Oh don't be so surprised! We heard you both closed up in there, rustling around!" Noi sang in a voice so proud, she felt the need to punch him in the arm.

They were crazy. All of them. Completely nuts.

They thought he had _slept_ with her?!

I mean, they had slept _together_, but not _slept_ together!

And they were smiling! All of them!

Her simply waking up -fully clothed- next to him sent her into bleeding so hard there wasn't an ounce of flesh visible on his face.

What? Did they think that was normal? Initiation?

_Fuck off_.

"You crazy son's of..." His biting mood rose so high he shook. Fighting the intense urge to rip off their heads was quite the challenge. At the moment, he felt that running was his only option. "Stupid mother..."

A door slammed shut.

The four little gigglers stood in shock. A small breeze had passed the couple atop seconds ago... It took them all a minute to realize that Kyohei was the cause of that draft. He was already safe inside the bathroom...

He hadn't even tried to deny it.

He had run from them.

Oh no.

This was bad.

Very, very bad.

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Ahahahaha...

I didn't expect this chapter to focus so deeply on _the morning after_...

I know, I'm a tard.

I'm sorry for any offensive language used here, whether for cursing or the mention of dementia. My best friend's grandmother has that- she can't go anywhere alone anymore because the last time they let her, she'd somehow wandered into the projects a good way off from home. I'm not going to say where exactly, since I might off and offend someone else, but it was really a contrast to her nice home in suburbia. Also took her family a while to find her.

Anyway, I'm rambling.

I hope you liked this chapter.

The next one will deal with the whole "rejection" incident. And we'll see where it goes from there. Please review and tell me how you liked this chapter.

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


	5. Nobody, No Body

A/N: Ah Damn, people! I love you guys!

Disclaimer: I do not own.

Title: Second Chances

Chapter: 5: Nobody, No Body

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She sat, her long black hair clipped loosely, kept off of her back and neck. It was summer, and so it was hot, but she never once thought to tie up the long bangs that shield her eyes.

What was more of a wonder was the fact that the girl was out- at a cafe, no less -sipping slowly on a Fijan Dancer (strange bubble tea).

What baffled her most was who she was with.

How did she get here?

She couldn't really say. Simply that she was asked. She wanted to leave the house, and this was an opening.

It wasn't until after they had ordered their drinks that she realized just how serious this situation could be...

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Kyohei sat stubbornly on the couch.

He'd been trying to focus on the feature for forty-five minutes now.

Forty-five minutes and he still wasn't into it...

It wasn't the movie's fault. It was actually a really good film. An 'A rank' film... But he still couldn't get into it.

Sunako left thirty minutes ago. Around twenty seconds later, everyone else followed.

Except for Kyohei.

They didn't even _try_ to get him to do it. Even on good days, normal days- he'd refuse if he knew they were just being nosy.

Even then, though. They'd still _try_ to get him to come along.

But this wasn't normal. He'd been quiet for days. Two whole days. That may not seem like a lot to you, but this was the boy who shook the ground with a mere yawn, made the walls vibrate with a stomach growl...

Fact was, he'd been avoiding Sunako.

She knew it, too. They all did. They thought he was pissed because she'd bled all over him, but they weren't sure...

He was pissed, but not at her.

At her, there was mostly fear.

It seemed like the past months had been so blissful, he had actually _expected_ things to go wrong. He knew he didn't deserve it this good.

Not with her. _Never_ with her.

He didn't want to be right. He didn't want to face her and find out he was still just a _'creature of the light.' _He didn't want to_ know_ that he would never be more than her friend...

True, this type of thing had happened before. She'd bleed all over him and then he'd always confront her, reprimand her, and -unnoticed by all- get her to slowly see things his way.

What was keeping him from doing it again now?

He then remembered where it was Sunako had gone thirty-five minutes ago.

Where she had gone, who she was with, and what they were talking about...

Hmm... Maybe _that_ was a clue...

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Nobody knew what she was up to. Nobody.

The ex-classmates sat quietly for a while. Finally, Sunako set her tea on the table and slowly lifted her violet eyes to Hikari's pale ones.

"What did you want to talk about?" Her voice was even. Only those who knew her could tell how forced it really was.

"Oh, it's... Nothing," The girl finished lamely, sweating slightly under that heliotrope gaze.

"Nothing?" Sunako scoffed, "_nothing_ made you _cry_ on the phone to me last night?"

The sweat beading on her high forehead increasing, her gaze became shifty.

"What? Why me? Why call me?" Sunako's tone picked up more emotion as she spoke, enunciating every syllable, "After all this time- all those years you tried to humiliate me- now you come to me for help?"

"Yes..." Hikari whimpered in humiliation, tears budding near the corners of her eyes, "Sunako... I... I wanted to apologize!"

Sunako stood still. Her expression was wary. She knew who Hikari was. She knew she'd be daft to trust this girl... But something in her made her want to hear the good, seek some redemption.

"Please... I've always regretted how horrible I was to you! It was jealousy! Forgive me!" Hikari caved into herself, her volume raising gradually, "I need you to forgive me! I need your help!"

Her voice escalated to a point where everyone's attention was drawn to the pair. As silence settled between them whispers echoed through the cafe.

It was so like Hikari Ogawa to cause a scene. She was just so good at it.

Sunako unnoticeably rolled her eyes as she led the girl out of the shoppe, and onto an isolated park bench.

Sunako mumbled her, "It's okay"'s and "you're alright"'s, rubbing the girls shoulder blades in comfort until Hikari finally calmed herself into a soft hiccupping.

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There was no one around.

The devil could kill her. Wipe her out now with one blow and Koichi could finally be hers.

Because nobody around, meant no body would be found.

Hikari could get away with murder once more.

But she wouldn't. Not yet, anyway. It wasn't the time.

She knew she needed Sunako right now, at least until she could spin this in such a way that would show some good in her evil ways...

But that was the problem... There was no good. There was only Hikari. Selfish, evil Hikari.

No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't change.

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The two girls talked quietly on the bench for hours, and soon enough it began to get dark.

It got as dark as their conversation became. It was plunging into the past, deepening into history too big for Sunako to handle... But she didn't let it show.

Somehow, Sunako knew she needed to talk about this. She needed to liberate herself.

She needed to fight.

Sunako looked up as the skies last traces of orange and red disappeared.

There was quiet for a moment.

"... Shouldn't you head home soon, Ogawa?" Sunako stood lightly, standing in a naturally catlike pose, she shoved her hands into her hoodie's pockets, "if you don't go now, you'll miss the last train."

Hikari looked up warily. She had no clue how to read this goddamned woman! Had she fallen for her trap? Was there still doubt? Nakahara was such an annoying person to deal with. She hated being out-shined by someone so good. She hated her. The comparisons...

"Come on," Sunako smiled flawlessly. A small, gentle smile, "I'll wait for your train to come, so nobody bothers you..."

Demon _hated_ Sunako Nakahara. She hated her so, so much.

Nakahara was an idiot. Why smile so honestly at your enemies? Why trust someone who was going to rip the carpet from under you?

Hikari smiled widely, hopping off the bench and following Sunako like an admiring little sister.

They had walked in a comfortable silence before entering the station. Both knew it was only comfortable because they were too preoccupied to notice the silence, but still- neither felt on edge.

It was now 11:30 and Sunako was waving from the entry bars. A smile was spread smoothly on her lips as Hikari waved energetically behind the train window.

The train left, and Sunako's smile fell.

Her hands stayed by her sides. Her long, fitted white hoodie allowed the night chill to penetrate right to the bone. Her eyes stared straight ahead, and she was quivering. Slightly. Almost unnoticeably. It was not because of the cold.

Where was she now? Where did she stand- really?

Not knowing... Never knowing.

There was nobody who could tell her, nobody had the answer.

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It was nine o'clock when the gang had quit and left the two to their private moment. They entered the mansion and Kyohei jumped on them immediately. He ranted for about two full minutes before finally shouting, "And where the fuck is Sunako?!"

You could _feel_ the anger in his voice. How could they have left her alone with that girl?

How could they have left her alone?

How could he have let that happen?

The guy's pitched in about how Hikari Ogawa had made a scene at the café and then they had went to talk alone on a bench nearby.

With the name of the café known, he rushed out the door, grabbing a wool blazer on the way out.

It was now 11:20. He'd finally found the stupid café and asked the clerk whether he knew which direction the two girl's had gone. Thankfully, he'd remembered that Ogawa because she was a "cutie." Kyohei shivered at the word. The clerk pointed in the direction he'd seen them leave, and Kyohei was out the door before the clerk could ask for her number, or whether those two were lesbians. Tard.

He didn't know where to look, but that wouldn't stop him.

He'd keep looking; but why was he looking?

Why was he trying so frantically to find her?

What was wrong with him?

There was no park nearby, so he thanked God he wouldn't have to look through some maze of nature...

But damn, it was dark out now... Another twenty minutes had passed before finally, he saw a light.

The train station.

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They sat around the TV quietly, anxiously.

"... Should we go look, too?" Noi asked absently, looking as the clock chimed 12:00.

There was quiet.

"... He'll find her." Ranmaru smiled confidently at his friend, and Yuki took up on it.

"Noi-chan! Make some soup! We should make soup so Sunako-chan won't feel guilty or anything!" Yuki beamed happily at his fellow brunette.

Noi laughed happily, "You're so smart, Yuki-chan!" She rubbed his head, "Soups always the best comfort food."

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She should go home. She knew she should go home. She knew her friends were looking for her...

It was irresponsible to worry them like this.

But her thoughts kept her from instructing motion.

So she stayed.

And then she heard an angel.

He whispered her name heavily. What a sweet hallucination...

Then hands grabbed her by the arms and whipped her to him.

Sunako awoke from her daze slowly, with hazy eyes.

Slowly, her lips curled into a small, sleepy smile.

Kyohei had prepared to scream at her, but his voice caught in his throat.

He caught her gaze, then looked away.

He gripped her hands, and turned towards the exit.

Sunako complied without a word. She wanted to say something, but she didn't know what.

She didn't know what she needed to say, what he needed to hear...

But something had sparked unconsciously, like when she would blink; it was without thinking.

Talking with Hikari let her realize something. She was going to fight. She would liberate herself.

Kyohei walked a step ahead of her, but didn't let go of her hands.

Like a blink- her fingers tightened on his, and she refused to let the blood spill from her nose...

But somewhere on their faces, both held red.

A tiny amount of blood trickled from her nose, but unconsciousness had no hold on her tonight.

Kyohei was red... And it had to do with blood... But it was rushing under his skin.

They didn't speak. At some point, Kyohei paused to toss the warm blazer onto her, and still, neither said anything. He brought his hand behind her neck and freed her long hair from the back of the jacket. He looked at her, strongly, firmly.

No words.

He grabbed her hand again and they walked.

Nothing was said.

But something was exchanged.

Something changed.

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Ah Damn! Did you enjoy your read?

Well, I was pretty depressed about this one little thing- I lost one of the most wonderful things I have ever written! Ah! It was beautiful, and really really long so I can't remember anything!!! Agh! It was for the Wallflower, I was going to post it after this was finished, but now I can't remember all of it's content... I'll rewrite it though, for you! By the way- just in case I don't write it soon- it has spoilers based on what happened after vol. 18 (chapter 74)

I will be busy for a while because I have founded a new and improved Film-Maker's club at school, and I'm the president- so yeahhh. Clubs don't start until mid October, but I'm getting a head start with people in my grade, so I'm not going to have too much time to write. I'm very sorry- really, for myself.

Well, that's all I've got to say for now. I'll try to update as soon as possible.

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


	6. On and Off

A/N: RIP: My lovely pink Mac. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Hurray for a new chapter! I don't know why, but I started watching Tales From the Crypt episodes again... Oh, one more thing... I saw SWEENEY TODD!!! Jealous? You're jealous, huh? Join my facebook group: "how many times did Sweeney Todd break my HEART?"

Disclaimer: I do not own.

Title: Second Chances

Chapter: 6: On and Off

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The truth is Hikari never murdered anyone. Not in real life, anyway... Not technically and illegally... She had taken part of her father deciding it was time to pull the plug on their mother's breathing tube... She'd been unconscious since Hikari was three-years old. She was seven, and she held her daddy's hand as he switched the machines from 'on' to 'off.'

... Hikari had also committed many homicides. Social homicides. Since the age of nine, it would seem the tiny girl had terrorized an entire generation of children.

So she really, truly didn't deserve what she wanted. Honestly, she should be getting the opposite of this heavenly life, but it wasn't so.

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It had been a year since Sunako Nakahara had left Hokkaido for Tokyo. A full year today since she had been ruthlessly rejected by Koichi Satto.

A full year later, and he still flooded her thoughts.

It had been so long since she'd thought of him. Since moving in with the boys, her mind had become lighter, her heart was slowly following suit. Hikari was what had flipped everything 180º.

The morning- this morning- that dawned that awful "full-year-since," feeling started with a lovely phone call from Hikari.

Sunako winced under the covers as the "Jaws" theme song wailed from her old cell phone.

Instantly, the dark girl regretted keeping the old thing. She didn't know why she had decided to bury it with all her other past-life mementos. Since Hikari came back, she'd been having to dig up a lot of old shit...

Sunako didn't like it. Not one little bit.

She knew Hikari was not the type to let the phone ring once, twice, thrice and hang up. No, this pixie-bitch would either stay on until you pick up or wait until it reaches your voicemail, hang up and call again immediately. No doubt about it, Hikari was the most persistent ring anyone could ever be doomed enough to know.

Sunako decided to save the demon some trouble, and pick up on the first call.

She raked her hair out of her face, sighed loudly, and faced her doom with closed eyes, "H... Hello?"

Hikari smiled widely, and knew that a high-pitched cheery voice would annoy her enemy the most, "Morrrrrrrrrrrnins'! How are you, my lovely ex-classmate?"

Hikari would make Sunako hate her, and then feel sorry she did. "Ugh... Could you shut up?" Sunako groaned, leaning over the edge of her bed.

"O... Oh, I'm... Sorry, Nakahara-san... I... I know that came out loud and forced..."

"N-no! Ogawa, it's okay... I'm just tired, that's all..."

The stupid whore was Queen. "Nakahara-san, I was nervous about saying this to you, so I was hoping I could come over to your house today... I'd like to... Explain why I was so... Dramatic, yesterday..."

The fucking Queen of Manipulation.

Oh Moses, Jesus, Allah... Why was she brought up to act polite when someone apologized? It was a curse...

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Kyohei had spent the night leaning against his headboard, unusually intrigued by his own hand.

He'd flex his hand, turn it over, open and close it, touch it... Stare at it.

He faced his hand like Neo would to the Oracle. This almighty hand would have an answer to the scattered bubbles in his stomach, the light, dizzy feeling clouding his brain...

Yes. This hand- the hand that supported a certain friend twice in one week- would name the feeling that seemed to conquer all the rest...

He'd watched 'Dan in Real Life' last week with the gang, and something from it gave him a clue...

_"Love isn't a feeling... It's an ability."_

Kyohei brought his face down to an inch above his hand.

'Well, if _that's_ what's stopping our abilities of reason and sleeping... Then it is _that_...'

His hand was making more sense than his brain at the moment... But then a feeling made itself known to the sixteen-year old.

This feeling was fear, and it started a sumo-battle between itself and love.

Sad thing was, Kyohei wasn't sure _who_ he wanted to win.

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It became routine now, for everyone to come down to eat at nine, while Kyohei and Sunako had a sweet hour and a half to themselves preparing breakfast.

Since the last bloody explosion between them, Kyohei hadn't set foot inside the kitchen. This morning's prompt entry was like a happy reunion.

He stood outside the door for a moment, listening to the clean ringing of her knives as she sliced some component for today's meal. The blonde took a breath and pushed the door open with closed eyes.

She was immediately shocked by his entrance, but happy nonetheless. It was this expression that Kyohei was welcomed to when he finally opened his eyes. Her smile warmed him completely. On first glance, and mostly because of her long bangs, people would think her expression was one of malice... Kyohei knew better. He was now familiar with it. He sensed the depth, and for the first time, he realized the closeness they actually shared.

"It's miso soup with daikon and shredded crab meat. I thought that salmon would be a nice side dish today..." She left her sentence open for contradiction, as always.

"Sounds good," As always, he would agree with her decision.

"The miso is simmering now, I'm just about to add the crab. Can you check on the rice, please?"

With that she turned her back to him, and tended to her misoshiru, then to her six pieces of salmon. Since it became summer, Noi had come over everyday just to sample some of Sunako Nakahara's amazing culinary skills.

Kyohei opened the rice cooker, checking the color, then sampling a bit. Some pieces were still a bit hard, so he closed the lid. He turned from it, and leaned against the counter, stealing a private gander at his friend.

Her midnight hair was, like always, tied back into a loose ponytail. The window just above the stove streamed in rays of sunlight, catching in her raven locks, and turning the thinnest of her curtains into a mysterious purple gleam. Her light pink lips were slightly parted, an aloof sense of concentration evident in them. Her usually ghostly pale skin took on an ethereal golden glow. Kyohei's eyes moved along her flawless jawline, swimming in the hollows at the base of her neck. Then paused along the unfit frilly apron, her pretty frame hidden by a baggy cotton long-sleeve, catches and creases on the cloth only _hinting_ at what was hidden underneath. Her long sleeves were rolled up past her elbows, and he could see the muscles move gracefully underneath her skin, rising and falling as she flipped a piece of salmon or stirred the large pot of soup.

If someone had chosen this moment to walk into the kitchen, they would immediately sense the male's intense infatuation. But nobody entered, and Kyohei would have resumed the cycle, had his subject not chosen the moment he was taring at her face to looks at him. Their faces flushed immediately, both taking up on other cooking chores. Kyohei checked on the rice again, and Sunako took out small serving bowls.

Soon enough, the heat moved away from her cheeks, and she was searching for something to take away from the surprisingly awkward moment.

"Ogawa-san will be stopping by later today..." Sunako began to fill the bowls with even portions of misoshiru.

Kyohei closed the cooker with a defined snap, "You mean the girl who left you in some kind of shock at twelve in the morning, on a-"

"It wasn't really because of her."

Kyohei leaned back against the counter to the right of his friend. He faced her with an air of doubt, but she would not face him.

"I know you all know about our history... But I don't want you guys worrying about me. I can handle this." The soups were set onto a tray, and then placed upon the island counter.

Kyohei grabbed the six other serving bowls, scooping rice in haphazardly, "Yeah, because last night absolutely proves you can. Obviously, you can-"

"I know what I'm doing," Sunako snapped, slamming her spatula onto the counter, knocking a saucer full of her special fish dressing all over the floor, "shit."

They both grabbed dishrags, swiping at the liquid like a spreading plague. Both took their anger out on the poor sauce. Since demon spawn came into the picture, peace was like the on/off light switch at the mercy of a two year old.

"I thought you were working toward forgetting all that. What are you doing?" His voice held rage tactlessly misdirected.

"That _is_ what I'm doing!" Sunako stood up clumsily, and quickly tended to her salmon, "Why are you getting so worked up, anyway?"

Kyohei stood as well, throwing the dirty towels into the sink and briskly moving the rice onto the island.

"You're the one who got worked up," the teen grumbled, pushing his palms against the surface.

Sunako decorated the salmon after loading them onto their plates. In silence, they placed everything on trays and set out for the dining room.

The silence was murderous. The confused pair really couldn't stand it.

"I'm just trying to..." '_protect you,'_ "Help." Kyohei finished pathetically.

"Yeah..."

"Yeah..."

He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell her to blow Hikari off. He wanted to _make_ her forget that guy. He wanted her.

But then, fear and love were battling within him, on and off.

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I know! It was short!

I also know it still doesn't reveal much. I promise to try updating at a faster pace, but with my baby dead, it's harder to build up a good chapter. You know, one that is complete and un-scatter-brained.

Anyway, Sweeney Todd is amazing. Johnny Depp is a God and Helena Carter is adorable. Seriously, the two together are way too lovable.

I hope to hear what you guys think of my pitiful installment.

Hope your holidays are merry.

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


	7. Secrets

A/N: In the spirit of Valentine's Day

Disclaimer: I do not own.

Title: Second Chances

Chapter: 7: Secrets

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The two women sat quietly in the living room. Sunako had served her guest a darker portion of her wonderful english tea. The two milky cups now sat on the coffee table; cooling. It was silent, and it was because of this that Sunako could hear what was no-doubt her friends "stealthy" breathing behind the wall that divided this room from the dining room.

_"Ah! Ranmaru, my foot."_

_"Move over, you're squishing me!"_

_"I can't hear!"_

_"Shhh! _She'll _hear _us!"

The dark girl picked up her tea pointedly, rolling her eyes, "So... Why are you here...?"

Ogawa cleared her throat. She picked up her tea... Out of stalling options, she began, "Koichi's here." Rather abruptly.

Somehow, Sunako managed to get her tea down the right pipe. Since she had become completely one with the darkness, Sunako had coined a special skill to keep out of trouble with her aunt. The EAR tactic. The EAR tactic would work well right now. It did not consist of tearing off ears, blood, guts, terror... It was an acronym for evade and redirect. Now...

"Oh, that's..." Find something to focus on... "Interesting..." Teacup. "Hey, you're tea is probably cold by now," Find a chance to leave the room, "how about I fix that?"

Before Hikari could even object, ignore her, or continue her confession Sunako quickly stood and cleared the serving tray from the table.

She skittered quickly through the kitchen archway, "How about some green tea?"

The demon spawn followed quickly behind her, "Fine, Nakahara-san, but back to what I was saying about Satto-kun. He's in Tokyo, Nakahara-san. He's here."

The demon pixie's voice caught in her throat. She leaned against the counter, crossing her arms across her narrow chest. The maternal side of Sunako kicked in, and she went to the girl's aide with a cool glass of water. She stood next to the demon, rubbing her back as she mumbled a 'thank you' and drank.

Sunako didn't care much for Ogawa, but she knew about her frequent panic attacks in school. The girl definitely had issues. She hated her, in a competitive fight for pride and honor in the classroom; still, the good 'mama' within her just let all that go for now...

The group had migrated to the kitchen archway, positioning themselves in the classic 'see-but-not-seen' positions. A little while later, they repositioned into their 'hear-but-not-heard' form.

"Ogawa-san, if I may... What's the point of all this?" Well, her friends expected that. Ogawa, however, did not. Her mouth opened and shut a few times, struggling for a conniving enough response, "Don't be offended, I just mean... Well, why tell me? Why are _you _telling me? What's the _point_ of all this?"

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The truth about that day was actually a ridiculous story. It seriously was one of utter confusion.

It was outrageous in a way unheard of in real life. It was like a comic book, a cartoon if you will.

The delicate Nakahara was waiting outside of his classroom on the beautiful first of June. Her heart was fluttering at a rate signaling blood to rush beneath the surface of her cheeks. Rumors had been flying around all over school. Apparently, Haruhi was just too excited. She couldn't keep it in. Sunako never bamed her. Everyone was excited. Everyone was rooting for them... Okay, we all know not _everyone_, but that art will come soon enough.

Koichi's friends alerted him of the visitor at the door with hoots, howls and raised voices. He silenced them with mock-annoyance, trying not to bolt out of the door.

He walked out of the classroom, sure to close the door behind him, and face her. Sunako smiled meekly, leaning the right of her body against the space between the door and classroom window.

"'Evening..."

Koichi could hear his classmates hushed giggling, amping up his nerves. All Sunako could hear was the ba-thump, ba-thump' of her pulse in her ears. As a means of relief, he moved away from the door, and leaned opposite, along the windows overlooking the courtyard.

"Hello. How-ah-What's up?" Koichi struggled with his reddening cheeks, the noises from the classroom, and trying so hard to capture this moment. He had to admit he couldn't believe it could happen.

"I'm good. Great, actually, I... Well, I've decided to let you in on a little secret..." Sunako smiled in a charming way, leveling her gaze to his. A flash.

_"Don't you get the feeling she's hiding something...?" _Hikari's devilish face loomed underneath his eyelids with the words she had whispered to him once during math class.

"Hika--" He mumbled angrily under his breath.

A holler of laughter exploded from his classroom. The two jumped slightly. Koichi's patience was thinning quicker than most would expect. Then a window slid open... Guess whose ugly head popped out?

"Sorry, sorry you two... On with whatever you were doing, I'll keep these rugrats nice and quiet... Carry on," She commanded them in the kind of sing-song voice that just makes a person want to do the exact opposite... And she didn't close the window all the way either.

"Umm..." Sunako caught a glimpse of Koichi still staring at the gaping window, "You... You were saying?"

"Ah, I..." He redirected his attention where he really wanted it, where it should be, "Nakahara-san, I would love to hear this secret..."

She smiled triumphantly. It was adorable. He could jump her right there (of course, in the most innocent of ways, because they were both just that way...), "Okay, then..." Sunako took a bold step forward, she looked at her feet, and his shiny black shoes came into view. She looked up at him, into his eyes.

"Koichi-kun, I..." She blinked, her face flushed. She looked down in embarrassment, "like you..."

But to Koichi's ears, her voice had drifted. Sunako hadn't realized there was another burst of laughter, and a bang as the demon-girl flung open the window on the far right of the classroom. She began singing a popular pop song. It was a cheesy love ballad, and she'd belted the chorus in an obnoxious fashion. His face flushed with rage.

"You're so disgraceful! God! I _hate_ ugly girls!" He'd shouted it at Hikari, but the girl in front of him was a completely different person. Her eyes instantly widened in shock. Her silky hair fell over her face as she raised her shoulders in defense. She hugged herself tightly, turned left, and ran, "Sunako-san! Sunako-san, wait!"

"Yes, Sunako-san, wait! Please, wait" Hikari echoed in the same light-hearted tone. The broken girl saw a flash of a wicked smile and gleaming pale eyes... They were the look of nightmares.

She'd run home. The next day she wasn't at school. She hadn't picked up anyone's calls. Not Koichi's, not Haruhi's, not her homeroom teachers. She had her parents pull their connections and get her transferred immediately to the nearest school to her Auntie's mansion furthest in Japan.

It had led her to Tokyo. It had led her to her current state of happiness.

And all we can hope is that this wouldn't break it.

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Short again, but meaty, wasn't it?

I'll try harder.

I think you'll be happy to know I've got my plot down, and I shouldn't have writer's block anymore, so I look forward to updating bigger and faster.

I love you guys, you really make my day.

I love writing, I love reading, but I don't think it would be the same without feedback, so thank you. Yeah, I'm in a freakishly cheery mood. I think I really needed this update.

Oh, by the way, Martian Child, with John Cusack-- excellent. Watch it.

I hope to hear what you guys think of my latest installment.

Hope you had a great Valentine's Day.

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


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